Changing a smartphone brand is always a bit of a thrill, especially when it comes to moving between ecosystems that used to be closely connected like Honor and Xiaomi. Many owners who bought a new device from the Chinese giant are wondering how to quickly and without loss move their data to avoid starting digital life from scratch. Fortunately, modern technology allows you to make this process as transparent and automated as possible, taking only a few tens of minutes even with a large amount of information.
In this article, we will take a look at all the migration options available, from official developer tools to manual copying through a computer. You will learn what nuances exist when transferring Wi-Fi passwords, call history and application data, and how to avoid common errors. Proper preparation of both devices is the key to successfully completing the procedure without hanging or losing files.
Regardless of which Honor model you have (old with Google services or new without them) and which Xiaomi (with MIUI or HyperOS), you can find the right method. The main thing is to understand the logic of the Android operating system and have a stable connection. Let's consider which tools will be most effective in your particular case.
Preparing devices for data migration
Before you start any manipulations, you need to make sure that both smartphones are in good condition and ready for active operation. First of all, check the battery level: both devices should have at least 50-60% of power, since the data transfer process can significantly consume the resources of the processor and communication modules. If you neglect this rule, the phone can turn off at the most inappropriate moment, which will lead to interruption of copying and possible corruption of files.
It is also critical to ensure a stable Wi-Fi connection, especially if you plan to use cloud services or wireless transmission methods. Although some utilities create a local access point, having the Internet will be required to log in to accounts and check application versions. Make sure that both devices have Bluetooth and geolocation modules enabled, as they are often used to initially detect gadgets from each other.
⚠️ Warning: Do not attempt to interrupt the transfer process or switch between applications during the migration.This may result in some contacts or photos not being copied, and the new phone system may incorrectly index the received files.
Free up enough space on your Xiaomi host device. Analyze how much space the data on Honor takes up, and make sure that the new smartphone has at least 20% more free space than the amount of information transferred, which is necessary for temporary files and the correct operation of the system while writing data.
Using the Mi Mover application for wireless transfer
The most effective and official way to switch to Xiaomi is to use the pre-installed Mi Mover app. This utility is designed specifically for migrating data from any Android device, including Honor, and allows you to transfer contacts, messages, photos, music, videos, documents and even Wi-Fi settings.
To get started, install the Mi Mover app on both smartphones. On a Xiaomi device, it is usually already built in and is in the Tools folder or available through settings. Run the program on a new phone and select the I'm a recipient role. On the old Honor, launch the app and click "I'm a sender." QR-code that will appear on the screen of the new device, or use the search for devices via Bluetooth.
Once you have successfully connected, you will see a list of data categories available for transfer. The system will prompt you to choose what exactly you want to copy: contacts, calls, messages, images, audio, videos, documents and installed applications. It is worth noting that Honor system applications may not be installed on Xiaomi, but custom programs will be downloaded in compatible versions from the GetApps store or Google Play.
The copying process can take anywhere from 10 minutes to several hours depending on the amount of data. Wi-Fi Direct transmission speeds are typically 10 to 40 MB/s. While waiting, do not lock the device screens and keep them close to each other. Once the process is complete, Xiaomi will offer a reboot to apply all settings and integrate the transferred data into the system.
What if the Mi Mover can’t see the device?
Make sure that both phones are Bluetooth enabled and geolocated. Also make sure that neither device is using Bluetooth. VPN-A connection that can block local data exchange. Try restarting the app on both gadgets. Sync through Google Account and cloud services. The alternative and very reliable method is to use cloud sync through a Google account. This is ideal for porting contacts, calendars, notes, and system settings, and since most Honor smartphones (especially those released before 2020) have Google services built-in, this method works seamlessly. Even newer models allow you to sync basic data through a Google profile. On an older Honor device, go to settings, find the "Accounts" or "Users and Accounts" section, and select your Google profile. Make sure the switches opposite Contacts, Calendar, Google Keep and Photos are active. Press the menu button (three dots) and select Sync to make sure all data is uploaded to the cloud. Data type Sync Contacts Google Contacts Instantly High Photo/Google Photos Depends on the Internet High Google Play Application Low New High Drive You will need to automatically retrieve the photos in the first Google connection and restore the data in the application immediately after the Google Photos are downloaded. It’s important to understand the limitations of this method: it won’t carry desktop settings, Wi-Fi passwords (unless they’re saved in Google) and data inside some apps that don’t use cloud sync. However, for a basic phone setup, this is often enough. If you have a few tens of gigabytes of photos, videos and music, wireless methods may be too slow, and then the most rational solution is to use the computer as an intermediary. This method gives you complete control over the file structure and allows you to sort out unnecessary debris before downloading to a new phone. USB-On the smartphone screen, select the connection mode "File transfer" (MTP). Open the disk that appears in My Computer and copy the DCIM (camera photos and videos), Pictures (screenshots and images from apps), Download and Music folders to a separate folder on your PC hard drive. Once you've finished copying, turn off your old phone. Now connect Xiaomi to your computer with the same cable. Also select file transfer mode. Open the internal memory of the new device and move the copied folders to the appropriate directories. Android system automatically indexes new files, and they will appear in the gallery and player. This method is especially good for transferring heavy video file without compression. 📊 What is the best way to transfer data?Wireless (Mi Mover) Through Google Account (USB)Bluetooth (for small files) When manually copying, look for hidden folders whose names start with a dot (e.g..WhatsApp). If you need to migrate the history of messenger correspondence, just copying files is not enough – you will need to use built-in backup functions inside the applications themselves. The migration of messenger data deserves special attention, since they store the history of correspondence and media files in their secure databases. install the application on the new Xiaomi, enter the phone number and confirmation code. All correspondence history, channels and groups will be downloaded automatically from the messenger servers, since Telegram stores data in the cloud. WhatsApp is more complicated, since the history of correspondence is stored locally or in Google Drive. On Honor, open WhatsApp, go to Settings. → chat → Backup chats and click "Backup." Make sure the copy is created on Google Drive, not locally. When you first launch WhatsApp on Xiaomi, the app will find the backup and prompt you to restore it. ⚠️ Note: When restoring WhatsApp, make sure you use the same phone number and Google account as you used on your old device. Without these conditions, recovery from cloud copy will not be possible. If the automatic recovery fails, you can try to move the local base. To do this, look up the WhatsApp/Databases folder on Honor, copy the msgstore.db.crypt14 file (the number may differ) to a new phone in a similar folder before installing or first running the app. However, the method with Google Drive is considered more stable and preferred by developers. The solution and troubleshooting Users may encounter various technical difficulties in the process of transferring data. One of the frequent problems is the connection error when using Mi Mover. If devices can not see each other, try temporarily disabling mobile internet on both phones, leaving only Wi-Fi. As Honor and Xiaomi use different app stores, AppGallery vs. GetApps/Google Play, some specific programs may not be available for download directly. APK-Why don't passwords from Wi-Fi networks be portable?Spaces from Wi-Fi networks are often protected by Android system restrictions and can't just be copied as text files. Mi Mover tries to move them through system settings, but it works differently on different versions of Android. QR-If you have a link code, if you've moved the gallery to Xiaomi and you've got duplicate photos, use the built-in cleaning tool. → The phone. → Warehouse → Cleanup: The system will find similar images, screenshots and deleted files, suggesting that they be deleted. This will help to bring order to the media library after the migration. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) Will passwords from sites stored in the Chrome browser migrate? Yes, if both devices in the Google Chrome browser log in to the same Google account and synchronize. Once you log in to the new phone, all saved passwords, history and bookmarks will automatically be downloaded from the Google cloud. Can you transfer data if there are no Google services on Honor? Yes, this is possible. The Mi Mover application works independently of Google services. You can also use the manual method through the computer or the cloud storage, for example, if the data is not installed on Google's old device, or the data is not installed on the Google's cloud. However, after successfully migrating and checking the new phone, it is recommended to perform a full Wipe Data reset on the old device before selling or disposing of it to protect personal information. How long is the backup in Mi Cloud or Google? Backups in Google Account are stored until you exceed the storage limit (15 GB free) or delete them manually. In Mi Cloud, the terms depend on the region and account settings, but usually the data is stored indefinitely as long as the account is active.